Kigali: With “great sorrow”, conservation officials announced Monday night that the most highly regarded gorilla is dead, RNA can reveal.  

Named Titus, but know as ‘The Gorilla King’, succumbed to old age on September 14 at the age of 35. Titus is among a handful of gorillas which renowned conservationist Dian Fossey dedicated her life decades ago.

No gorilla scientist could have predicted his eventual rise to power, because when he was born he seemed to be underdeveloped with serious breathing difficulties, the tourism agency said in a statement.

Born August 24 1974, Titus is said to have faced numerous tragedies as a youngster, including the loss of his family members to poachers.

Titus became part of an all-male group at age 5 for eight years. Eventually five females joined the group and after the dominant silverback of the time (named Beetsme) began to age, Titus took over as the lead Silverback thus the group named Titus group, earning him the title-The Gorilla King.    

It is however not leaving a miserable species, because he is said to have fathered numerous offspring - more than any other known mountain gorilla.

Tourism officials say of an approximately 380-400 gorillas living in the Virunga massif ranging between Rwanda, DRC and Uganda - Rwanda is home to at least 265 which are habituated and regularly monitored on a daily basis.

Government also continues to garner millions of dollars annually in tourism receipts brought in largely by visitors coming to have a view of the prized animals. The UN has even declared 2009 a Year of the Gorilla.

In June, the country organized a mega naming ceremony for new-borns, indicating how much important the Rwanda has come to put on the animals. It will of course come as great shock to government which has invested significant resources in managing these gorillas.